Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-10-07

quently crowd into our reflections
My recollectlons OF my early home in
America are very dear to me. but yet
the responsibilities of later life bring
their reward as well. My girlhood
life was delightful, and everyone in
America was exceedingly kind TO me.
think inherited my fathers dislike
for politics, for. although i went into
the white house girl, never took
any interest in political conditions.
and l have followed the same rule
since have been in England.
IL do not recall many of the ladies
who were leaders in Washington socie-
ty when my father was president. for l
was too young to know them intimate
ly, and girl assocat of my own age
were not numerous. 1 recall what a
beautiful woman Blanche Butler was
who married Gen. Ames; she was so
handsome and refined. Kate Chase
Sprague was very queenly woman.
Miss Minnie Chandler, who married
Senator Eugene Hale, was another of
the interesting girls of that period
when life was just beginning TO be real
to me. How wonderfully things have
changed, since those days. Hardly any
of the men who were prominent in poll
itics in those days are in public life
now. / knew Gen. Cam eron well, and
liked him so much. and he seemed a
great character TO me, although when
he came in to chat with my father | al
ways left.
"But these are reflections in which l
ought not to indulge. / have new re-
sponsiblties in these new days. You
spoke about the condition of women in
England. 1t is somewhat different
here than in America. but you must re-
member the ladies ASSUME. more self re-
lance here than American women
know. They are resolute, full Of good
health, and fond Of exercise and take
10 the sports of the field with the men.
They do not expect the attention which
American women demand. vet think
English ladies are treated with courtesy
as real and substantial "a the women of
any other country. There may not be
quite SO much obsequious courtesy
shown them, but in those elements of
association which really tend 10 make
up ones happiness there is as much at
tention paid women in England as any
where in the world. 1t is an old eoun-
try and Its customs are we'll establish
ed. There is not tho 1.-THE of ceremony
that most people think and there IS a
great deal to commend in what Ameri-
can women find strange at first, but
would very soon fall into"
This interesting woman, whom all
Americans feel interested in, thus
chatted about her life in the
land of her adoption. She is the
same plain, unassuming gentle
woman she was years ago before she
knew anything about the conditions OF
European aristocratic life. From what
she says it is easy to see how she is
meeting all the requirements of her
position. She must have felt radical
changes in her life abroad. From the
petted child Of a great ruler TO the
quiet of an ordinary English home is a
long distance. but she seems to have
dropped into the groove of every day
life easy and comfortably.
Her husband father is very old
man and his happiness seems to be in
looking after the welfare of his Ameri-
can girl and her little family of chill
dren. Besides the beautiful country
home of which | have written. he
bought her a home in London. where
she lives whenever inclination dictates.
In the early part of the winter she usu-
ally goes there, but leaves the city be-
fore the fashionable season begins.
Her tastes do not seem to run in that
direction. She lives in the city in the
winter merely for comfort and takes
little or no part in those festivities so
well known in London after the sea-
son begins. Seeing her at her own
home in this old country-house brings
up food of recollections in relation
TO her past and the prospects of the
present and future. Before this letter
can be read by your readers she will be
with her family at Long Branch. Her
reflections when there will be very in
tcrestng. She has witnessed mighty
changes since those days when she was
the courted daughter of the ruler of n
great nation. Long Branch then was
the summer capital. whore brilliant
men and women went for the best so-
cial life, and her family was the center
of it all. She will find all this greatly
changed.